Jorge Posada honors Munson's legacy

Former All-Star catcher died in plane crash 31 years ago

August 2, the day former Yankees star Thurman Munson died in a plane crash near his home in Ohio, has become a special day for Jorge Posada.

Monday was the 31st anniversary of the crash, which always brings back memories of the hard-nosed backstop who led the Yankees in the 1970s.

"I met his wife [Diana] and she told me that she had stopped watching baseball [after Munson died], and when I was here she started watching again, because I reminded her of him," Posada, who keeps a picture of Munson with a quote from him in his locker, told the New York Daily News. "I don't know what it is, but there is a connection."

Coleman bloodlines run deep: On Monday night, Casey Coleman made his Major League debut for the Cubs. When he did, it made the Colemans (grandfather and father both named Joe) the first three-generation family of pitchers in Major League history. Casey and his father are the eighth father-son combo to play for the Cubs.

"It's big," Casey told the Chicago Sun-Times. "A lot of people have asked me about it growing up, all the way through high school and college and now -- and being able to follow through with it and get up here is great."

Sanchez ties Marichal with seven Ks in a row: Jonathan Sanchez tied a San Francisco record by striking out seven consecutive hitters Tuesday night against the Rockies. He tied the mark established by the Dominican Dandy, Juan Marichal, who turned the trick in September 1964 against the Phillies.

"He's in the Hall of Fame, so to tie him makes me feel proud," Sanchez, who finished with nine strikeouts in six innings, told the San Jose Mercury News. "Juan Marichal, he was nasty all the time. That's the way I was feeling today."

McDonald welcomes change in status: After coming to the Pirates in a trade from the Dodgers, James McDonald says he's excited about the chance to play an important role.

"I'm happy to have the opportunity to start," McDonald told MLB.com. "I think in my situation, it wasn't tough [to leave LA] -- it wasn't like I was a key part of what was going on over there. They gave me a chance, and I appreciate that, but if another team wants me and sees me as part of their future, I'm all right with that."

Wallace gets a different view of Busch Stadium: Brett Wallace finally got to play in Busch Stadium. But instead of playing for the team that drafted him in 2008 in the first round, Wallace was playing first base for the Astros on Monday.

"This is where I thought I was going to play," Wallace told the Houston Chronicle. "So to have the chance to come back here and do it with my new team and my new teammates and play against some of those guys who I came up through the system with is pretty cool."

Wallace, who collected his first Major League hit on Sunday, picked up his first RBI in the Majors on Monday night.

Hellickson makes memorable debut: Jeremy Hellickson made his Major League debut on Monday, starting for the Rays. Hellickson retired the first 10 Minnesota batters. Overall, he allowed three hits and struck out six.

"I just tried to take it like any other game," Hellickson said. "And I went after that first-pitch strike."

Hunter makes the move to right field: Gold Glove center fielder Torii Hunter is moving over to right field to give top prospect Peter Bourjos an opportunity.

Hunter has played 1,502 games in center field and 27 in the corner outfield spots. But he moved over on Tuesday night to get Bourjos in the lineup and improve the club's outfield defense.

"I can sit here and say, 'I want 10 Gold Gloves and center field is my position,' " Hunter told the Los Angeles Times. "Sometimes you have to slap pride in the face and all that individual stuff, Gold Gloves ... that's nothing. All I care about is winning, man. I need a ring. I've been to the playoffs seven times and haven't won anything."

Brett Anderson turning to slider for success: An elbow injury sidelined Brett Anderson for most of the 2010 season. With one start under his belt since being activated, Anderson hopes to have better luck with his slider for the rest of the year.

"It's been my go-to pitch my whole career," Anderson told the Oakland Tribune. "It's more of a mental thing now, throwing it and knowing that nothing's going to happen. Throwing it in any count and not worrying about what my arm feels like."

Vargas gets first win for new daughter: On Friday, Jason Vargas became the father of a baby girl, Elizabeth. On Tuesday night he was back on the mound in Seattle and earned his seventh win.

"She's healthy; everything's good," Vargas told the Seattle Times of his daughter. "She was at the game tonight. She's 1-0."

Springer a longtime Reds fan: Russ Springer, now a member of the Reds, welcomes the chance to pitch for the team he followed as a youngster.

"I told my wife like in March, I said, 'If this is it for my career, there's only two teams I'd want to wear their uniform and I never got a chance to.' And it just so happens that one of them was Cincinnati," Springer told MLB.com.

Getz no longer waiting for playing time: Chris Getz is getting a chance to play regularly for the Royals.

"Your mind wanders, and you really wonder at times," Getz told the Kansas City Star. "But they did keep reiterating, 'Your time will come. So just be ready.' I made a choice that I took their word for it and kept on working. I wanted to be ready for that opportunity. Whether that opportunity is now, I don't know."

Nava gets another chance with recall: Daniel Nava, who hit a grand slam on June 12 on the first Major League pitch he saw, is back with Boston after a stint at Triple-A Pawtucket.

"It feels good to get another shot," Nava told the Boston Globe. "Any time you can get an opportunity to come up and help the team win, it's obviously something I'm looking forward to do."